This invention relates to a connector which is mateable with a mating connector and, in particular, to a connector which is provided with a lock mechanism to lock a mated state.
A connector of this type is disclosed in JP 2009-543296 A (Patent Document 1), for example.
As shown in FIG. 26, a plug connector 900 disclosed in Patent Document 1 is mateable with a receptacle connector (not shown) located in an external protection guide frame 950. The plug connector 900 is provided with an actuator 910 and a latch arm 920. The actuator 910 and the latch arm 920 compose a lock mechanism. The actuator 910 has a front end portion 915 that is thick in an upper-lower direction. The latch arm 920 extends over the front end portion 915 of the actuator 910. The latch arm 920 has a hook 925 while an opening portion 955 is formed in the external protection guide frame 950. When the plug connector 900 is mated with the receptacle connector, the hook 925 enters into the opening portion 955 to lock a mated state of the plug connector 900 with the external protection guide frame 950. When the actuator 910 is pulled under the mated state, the latch arm 920 is pushed by the front end portion 915 and is moved upward. Hereby, the hook 925 disengaged from the opening portion 955, and the mated state is released.
In order to function the lock mechanism of Patent Document 1, a space for moving the latch arm 920 is required above the plug connector 900.
Accordingly, in order to function the lock mechanism certainly, it is necessary to direct attention to a usage environment of the connectors, such as a built-in position of the receptacle connector (not shown) or the external protection guide frame 950 in a device in which they are built, a surrounding space of the plug connector 900 in an actual usage environment, and so on. If not, there is a possibility that a space for moving the latch arm 920 cannot be secured so that the lock mechanism does not function.